So I accidently added more flour than normal into my poolish. I normally add 33% of my total flour and this time I put in 46%. What can I expect to happen with ferment times. Will they be faster or slower?

Somebody much smarter than me will chime in, but... I might assume that the same amount of yeasties live in any given weight of starter. Thick or thin. I would doubt that you would see much difference, if any. My starter seems to enjoy a bit more flour than the 50/50 mix some people use.

Somebody much smarter than me will chime in, but... I might assume that the same amount of yeasties live in any given weight of starter. Thick or thin. I would doubt that you would see much difference, if any. My starter seems to enjoy a bit more flour than the 50/50 mix some people use.

POOLISH: A French term with Polish origins that is used to mean a preferment that is made with equal amounts of flour and water (which produces a pancake-like batter with a hydration of 100%), and a small amount of commercial yeast, but no salt. It is usually left to ferment and ripen at room temperature for several hours, although it is sometimes refrigerated for many hours (e.g., overnight) before incorporating into the final dough. The term poolish is pronounced poo-leash.

PREFERMENT: A partial preparation of flour and water and yeast (naturally-occurring or commercial), that may or may not include salt, that is left to ferment and mature before incorporating into the final dough. The ingredients and period of fermentation are controlled to achieve the desired leavening power and maturation (ripening) before incorporation into the final dough. The preferment can be fermented at room temperature or under refrigeration, or a combination of both. Depending on its final intended use, it can take a liquid form, semi-liquid form (like a batter) or it can be stiff and dough-like. The benefits from using a preferment include a strengthened gluten structure, a shortened overall production time, and superior crust flavor.

Somebody much smarter than me will chime in, but... I might assume that the same amount of yeasties live in any given weight of starter. Thick or thin. I would doubt that you would see much difference, if any. My starter seems to enjoy a bit more flour than the 50/50 mix some people use.

Poolish, starter, preferment. Different definitions sometimes used a synonymous processes?Just trying to understand, not cause dissent.

jamie

I'd agree with Craig's prediction of a lower hydration preferment being slower overall.

What might be observed as a "faster" rise with a lower hydration could be misleading. It's possible that you are seeing a more dramatic visible increase in volume unhindered by the higher proteolytic activity of a more liquid poolish. The overall yeast activity might still be lower.

When I use less flour in my poolish the doughball goes flat and takes roughly 12 hours before it starts to rise. There are very few visible tiny bubbles that I can see through the bottom of the container. This time around the doughball didn't flatten as much and saw much larger bubbles through the bottom maybe only 6hrs into the cold rise.

The reason you are seeing more rise and larger bubbles is due to the lower hydration. The poolish is able to expand more due to the less liquid environment. You will need to time the readiness by when the poolish domes and starts to recede, not by amount of time elapsed.

The reason you are seeing more rise and larger bubbles is due to the lower hydration. The poolish is able to expand more due to the less liquid environment. You will need to time the readiness by when the poolish domes and starts to recede, not by amount of time elapsed.

John

John,

Maybe I wasn't clear but I kept my total hydration the same. I just added less flour to the finished poolish. My dough is easily 24hrs ahead of where it normally is though (flavor isn't quite similar to a 48hr dough but it is ahead of the norm).

I am very confused. If the water stayed the same, and you changed the flour amount, the hydration changed. That is why the poolish is stiffer. But your comment a few posts up says you added "less flour". Thoroughly confused.